Ms RISHWORTH (Kingston—Minister for Social Services) (09:02): Today I do rise to speak to acknowledge that it is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which will be marked this Friday, 25 November. Violence against women is one of the most widespread human rights abuses worldwide. More than a billion women globally have experienced physical or sexual violence, mostly by an intimate partner. That's one in three women. In every friendship group, in every family, one woman has experienced physical or sexual violence. The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is about recognising those women and joining in a global call to action to raise awareness, promote advocacy and create opportunities for discussion on the challenges and solutions related to the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls. As an international community this day is one of the 16 days of activism that follow and is a chance to reflect on this violence, stand in solidarity with victim-survivors and commit to a world in which all women and girls are safe. I'd like to take this moment here in this House to highlight the sobering statistics that confront us here in Australia. One woman dies every 10 days in Australia at the hands of her former or current partner. Before the end of this year, based on these statistics alone, three women will lose their lives to violence, often by someone who has professed to love and care for them. Every two minutes, police around the nation deal with a domestic and family violence matter. That's 5,000 calls a week on average, and we know for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women these statistics are even starker, with First Nations women 11 times more likely to be killed due to experiencing family and domestic violence than non-Indigenous women. Indigenous women are also 34 times more likely to be hospitalised as a result of the violence they face. The statistics here in Australia for those women who've experienced violence since the age of 15 reflect those globally—one in three. One in two women have experienced sexual harassment in their lifetime. These statistics have to change. I acknowledge and pay tribute to the strength and resilience of so many victims-survivors of gender based violence and acknowledge the trauma that this violence has and the impact on individuals, families and communities—and, importantly, children. We mourn the lives of women and children no longer with us, their lives stolen often by people they trusted and loved. I'd like to thank victims-survivors who continue to turn their trauma into action and advocacy, who share their lived experience despite the heavy emotional toll, and help us all be better at addressing this issue. The statement from victims-survivors at the beginning of the new National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children are powerful words. They are words from victims-survivors and remind us why we must take action, and I'd urge everyone to take the time to read it. In recognition of the theme of the 16 days of activism—UNITE! Activism to end violence against women and girls—I want to acknowledge the advocates and workers who have continued to drive change and call for action. It can be a tiring and exhausting task with an emotional toll, but we appreciate this commitment. I acknowledge the efforts of workers on the front line, often women, who dedicate their lives to supporting victims-survivors in their recovery and their healing journeys. I also acknowledge the activists who keep the pressure up on all of us to do better. We have the opportunity in this place to work together towards making that a shared goal of the Commonwealth and all states and territories, and that is ending violence against women and children in one generation. We can make this a reality. Last month it was an enormous privilege to release the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022-2032 here in Australia. Our government, along with states and territories, has committed to a shared goal of ending violence against women and children, ending gendered violence within one generation. I acknowledge in this place it's ambitious, but if we all work together I believe we can achieve it. It is my hope that our children and our children's children will not experience the same levels of violence we are seeing now. The national plan provides a blueprint for a whole-of-society approach to end violence against women and children within a generation. This will take time and it will take effort. That is why the national plan will support and guide our efforts over the next 10 years, and that's why I'm very pleased that in the most recent budget there was a record investment of $1.7 billion to end violence against women and children. We've passed the legislation to provide paid family and domestic violence leave and, of course, implementing all the recommendations from the Respect@Work report. We are legislating a positive duty on employers to provide workplaces free of harassment and investing in consent and respectful relationships education in schools to stop violence at the start. We are investing investments in the Housing Australia Future Fund to support women escaping domestic violence and older women at risk of homelessness. It is our commitment to a country free of gender based violence; where all people live free from fear and violence and are safe at home, at work, at school in the community and, of course, online. Living free of violence is a basic human right. Violence against women and children is not inevitable. We know what drives it—gender inequality. To stop this violence before it starts we must advance gender equality and address other forms of discrimination in every part of society. In marking this Friday's International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women we must acknowledge that it's everybody's business to address the gender dimensions that drive family, domestic and sexual violence. Governments at all levels need to be pulling in the same direction, but we can't actually do this alone. We need businesses, schools, sporting clubs—every part of our community—to work hand-in-hand with us. Now is the time for genuine partnership to prevent violence before it occurs, to intervene early, and prevent further escalation, to respond appropriately when violence is used, and to support the recovery and healing of victims-survivors in ways that put them in the centre. Today and every day we acknowledge the lives lost to gender based violence. We will work to create an Australia where women and children can live their lives free and safely in all settings. Today and all days we say, 'No more.' We unite to end violence against women and children.